Ratchet wrench



Apr. l0, 1923 G. A. FAlTz RATCHET WRENCH Filed Aug. lO, 1921 2Ysheets-sheet l v. @fm/f w 1: nw Uf Apr. 10, 1923 G., A, FAITZ RATCHETWRENCH A Fild Aug. l0, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented pr. 10, 1923.

GUSTAV A. FAITZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RATCH'ET WRENCH.

Application filed August 10, 1921. Serial No. 491,182.

To a/ZZ wimm- 't't may concern:

Be it known that. I, GUs'rAv A. FAITZ, a citizen ot the United States,and resident of Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Ratchet `Wrenches, ofwhich the following is a specification, and which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The invention relates to wrenches and more particularly to those havinga socket for application to the member to be rotated, and ratchetmechanism permitting a reverse movement of the' handle withoutcorresponding movement of the socket. The object of the invention is toprovide a ratchet wrench comprising only a small number of parts butcapable of use without change for the application of power in eitherdirection.

The invention is exemplified in the`struc ture to be hereinafterdescribed and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved wrench showing only a partott the handle;

Fig. 2 is similar to Fig. 1, but with one of the side plates of the headremoved and one ot' the connecting bo-lts shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a detail view principally in central longitudnal sectionshowing the parts of the wrench disassembled, a'nut to which the wrenchsocket may be applied and the connecting nuts and bolts being shown inelevation Fig. 4 is a plan view of the wrench with the parts inoperative position for rotation of a nut in the direction indicated bythe arrow, one of the side plates of the wrench head being partly brokenaway and one ot the connecting bolts being shown in section, and

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are each similar to Fig. 2, but show modified forms ofconstruction.

As is usual in the construction of ratchet wrenches, the improved wrenchcomprises a swinging handle 10, and a head generally designated 11, towhich the handle 10 is pivotally attached as by a connecting bolt 16.For convenience of construction the walls of the head 10 willpreferably-include a pair of side plates shown at 12 and 13, the twoside plates being shown as being formed with inturned marginal flanges26. 27 which serveto separatethe plates in all other parts of the same asuiiicient distance to receive the adjacent part of the handle 10between them. The pivot bolt 16 accorda second bolt 17 provides both anadditional connecting means and a stop for limiting the swingingmovement of the handle 10, as in Fig. 4. To avoid interference with themovement of the handle by pressure of the side plates against the same,a spacingbushing 36 (Fig. 3) is preferably mounted on the pivot bolt 16while the bolt 17 is desirably formed with a limiting shoulder 37.

The improved wrench is also construction in that it includes -a ratchethub 20 which is centrally apertured to receive the squared stem of abolt or nut socket 24. As usual, the ratchet hub 20 is located betweenthe side plates 12, 13, and its two rounded ends, as 21 project throughand are journaled in the corresponding side plates,

thereby permitting the introduction of the stem 25 of the socket 24 fromeither side of the wrench.

In carrying out the invention, pawls, as 14 and 15, 30 and 31 or 34, areprovided for actuating the ratchet hub 20 in either direction and thesepawls are positioned by the movement of the handle 10. In Figs. 1 to 5and in Fig. 7 the pawls 14, 15 or 34 are formed integral with the handle10 while in Fig. 6 the pawls 30, 31 are Jformed together as a separatepiece which is pivotally mounted on the connecting bolt 17 and thehandle 10 is provided with lugs 32, 33, at its inner end. These lugsembrace 'the said separate pawl member between them and engage the sameupon movement of the handle in either direction for advancing thecorresponding pawl.

Since, in every case, the positioning of the pawls is accomplished bythe swinging of the handle 10, it follows that movement of the handle inthe direction in which power is to be applied, as in Fig. 4, serves toadvance the proper pawl, as 14, for turning the ratchet hub 20 in thedesired direction. To avoid engaging the other pawl, as 15, during idlemovement of the handle in the opposite direction it is only necessary tograsp the handle in such a way as to impart the said idle movement tothe same without substantial turning movement of the handle on the pivotbolt 16. On the other hand, if the ingly serves to connect the sideplates andv of ordinary v application of power in the said Oppositedirection is desired this is readily accomwrench head upon the inside ofthe same and embrace the corresponding pawls 1between them. fFor theapplication lof power in either direction it is necessary to swing thehandle upon the pivot bolt lGVagainst the resistance of the springswhile the springs facilitate the making of an idle movement of thehandle without turning the same upon the pivotpin 16 beyond the centralposition of vthe handle with respect to the wrench f head.

The construction illustrated in Fig. 7 is identical with vthatillustrated in Fig. 5 except that the pawls 84 are each formed with aseries of teeth and the ratchet hub 2O is provided with correspondinglyshaped f ratchet teeth.

I claim as my invention l. In a ratchet wrench, in combination, a headcomprising a pair of parallel plates having inwardly projecting spacingflanges at their peripheries, a sleeve journaled between the plates,ratchet teeth formed on the sleeve, a handle pivoted between the plates,a pair of oppositely facing pawls fixed to the handle and projectingbeyond the pivot of the handle to cooperate with the ratchet teeth, andsprings mounted within the head reacting upon the handle for normallyholding' the handle in central position.

2. In a reversible ratchet wrench, in combination, a head comprising apair of par.- allel plates having inwardly projecting spacying flangesat their peripheries, a ratchet sleeve journaled in said plates.yratchet teeth formed on the sleeve between the plates, said teeth havingtwo oppositely directed sets of pawl engaging faces, a handle pivotedbetween the plates, a pair of pawls operated by said handle and eachadapted to cooperate with one set of pawl engaging faces on said ratchetteeth for rotating said sleeve in agiven direction.

GUsTAv A. rarrz.

